Thomas Gould
Ceist:94. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for an update on the return of therapists to schools in CDNT8 in Cork. [19229/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 30 April 2024
Ceisteanna (94)
Freagraí scríofa
Resources within Children’s Disability Services are assigned across 91 Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs), providing the interdisciplinary support services necessary to children aged 0-18 years who present with complex needs and including those who attend special schools.
As the Deputy is aware, the 4 Special Schools in CDNT8 are Scoil Bernadette, Scoil Eanna, St Killian’s and St. Paul’s and I am aware of concerns expressed by parents about healthcare support within the schools.
Over the last 2 years, my Department and the HSE worked together to prioritise the reinstatement of health and social care professionals that were historically provided in some special schools.
In this regard 85 WTE additional posts were allocated to CDNTs in 2021 and a 136 WTE posts were funded in 2022 to provide services to 104 special schools nationally.
Within CDNT8, I can advise the following
- In 2021, 2 WTE posts were allocated to CHO8 and were unfilled.
- In 2022, 6.6 WTE posts were allocated to CHO8 and I can report that 5 WTE of these were filled.
- In 2023, 7.5 WTE Therapy Assistant posts were allocated to CHO8 and 2.5 WTE have been filled.
Work remains ongoing through national and local campaigns to fill outstanding posts. I wish to reassure the Deputy that, as advised by the HSE, the local Children’s Disability Network Manager (CDNM) has been engaging with the special school principals in order to develop a work plan to address the children’s priority support needs.
My Department is also engaging with the HSE, following the receipt of a recent proposal, on a number of measures to support Special Schools.
Of particular note is the provision of grant funding to special schools in Cork, which I am actively engaging on with the HSE. Such a proposal would see schools receiving funding to secure therapists through the private sector, who in turn would liaise with the local CDNT to ensure appropriate governance.
The following measures are also being considered:
• Nursing provision to CDNTs,
• Supports for challenging behaviours.
I have listened the frustration from parents and schools and my Department and the HSE are continuing efforts on strengthening staffing in children's disability services.